5 Ways to Keep Your Remote Team Motivated

Let's face it, working from home can be tough.

2020 has been a changing year for the typical workplace, with 55% of businesses globally now offering some capacity for remote work (Review42).

There are clear pros and cons to the remote working lifestyle - some would say it offers a better work/life balance, time and money can be saved on commuting and we can work in the comfort of our own homes. However, some issues that seem to be arising are those of communication, isolation and lack of motivation, with around 20% of workers stating that these are their main obstacles (Review42).

GoHire is a fully remote company. We believe that looking after our clients and building a valuable product starts at home and if we can't do it there, where can we?

With our team spread across the globe in the UK, Europe and Asia, we are one of many similar companies who need to strive to keep motivation high without a physical office space.

We've devised 5 simple and easy strategies to keep motivation high in your remote team. Keep reading for some handy advice!

1. Engage in Regular Meetings

The usual face-to-face meeting is a thing of the past and maintaining team motivation comes from innovation.

Many companies have switched to virtual meetings using software such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meets. These are a great alternative to the boardroom-style meetings we're all used to and can be scheduled in just like normal.

Keeping these meetings as routine as possible ensures a regular pattern for yourself and your colleagues, something that is required in the 'home office' to maintain productivity.

As companies begin to travel back to a physical office, it may also be worthwhile to conduct smaller meetings in person with measures in place to keep everyone safe. It may seem strange at first, but this is a great way to ease yourself and colleagues into the 'New Normal' and keep motivation high.

2. Offer Remote-Friendly Incentives

With our regular office benefits and incentives now out the window (RIP Pizza Fridays), it's important to try and offer these to your employees and colleagues whilst working remotely.

Coffee shop vouchers, free stationery, travel vouchers, magazine subscriptions, family vouchers and days out - the list is endless!

Something as simple as £5 off an UberEats order could be that one push of motivation that your colleagues need for the week. And, the money you spend will likely add up to be the same as what you would spend in the office.

3. Communicate with Employees

If there's one thing you should do to increase motivation and productivity, it's ask your colleagues!

GoHire's Employee Engagement Surveys enable you to get valuable feedback from your team, and build a stronger company culture, automatically. Send free employee engagement surveys in 3 simple steps and get instant, vital feedback, allowing you to tailor your business and working day to your employee's needs.

With our surveys, you can gain a deeper insight into employee happiness and overall engagement across your company. This is a vital tool for businesses of any size, working in any location. The valuable insights and results are actionable, allowing you to improve team performance, increase employee productivity and retain your employees while creating a better working environment.

4. Offer Continued Professional Development (CPD) to Employees

One thing we've seen all over social media in the last few months is how people are using their time at home to work on their self-improvement.

Working from home can be tedious at times, with no colleagues to bounce off and very little room to brainstorm with colleagues on projects. Offering your employees the chance to improve and gain new skills is a great way to increase motivation and productivity.

This can be in the form of online courses, skills development or even giving colleagues the chance to branch out in their role by working on new tasks or with different teams.

Of course, this is completely individual and will require communication with colleagues to determine what will suit them. But ultimately, showing that you care about their professional development and your willingness to provide support, creates a positive working environment and will likely improve your employee retention.

5. Get Creative with Remote Working

And last but certainly not least - simply get creative!

It's important that whilst everyone is working remotely, a level of informality and fun is kept high in your priority list, as it's easy for your colleagues to get bogged-down.

Add some flair to your working week. Perhaps set up competitions - who has the most delicious dinner? The best-looking coffee? Who's 'home office' setup is the greatest? Who has the cutest dog? Who can grow the best tomatoes?

There are infinite possibilities here and getting your colleagues involved in this will be a fantastic way to improve working relationships and thus, productivity, motivation and retention.

A Final Note on Motivation and Productivity

It's important to understand that 77% of remote employees say they’re more productive when working from home (Review42).

As we move into the new realm of working, we can see that remote working has more positives than negatives. And for futures hires, it's a huge advantage, with 53% of US workers alone agreeing that it's an added benefit (Review42).

If your company is one of the few that hasn't adjusted to the remote life, take it into consideration. Assess and understand the benefits and risks, but know that it will bring in higher quality, and perhaps more motivated, candidates to your future hiring.

GoHire was created to ensure that companies of all sizes, all over the world are able to find and hire the best candidates for their business, in much less time and on a budget. Get quality, culture-fit candidates quickly, with GoHire's simple software.